Johaug wins 1st gold medal of Beijing Olympics in skiathlon

By MARTHA BELLISLE
Associated Press

ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Therese Johaug won the first gold medal of the Beijing Olympics in the women’s 15-kilometer cross-country skiathlon. The Norwegian fought wind and frigid temperatures to ski away from a chase group of four. Russian athlete Natalia Nepryaeva pulled away from the group on the last climb to take silver. Teresa Stadlober of Austria followed just behind for the bronze medal. The skiathlon is a mass-start race that began with 7.5 kilometers of classic skiing and finished with another 7.5 kilometers on skate skis. Johaug has won 10 world championship titles but had never before won an individual Olympic gold medal.